The Accident
by Evil Twin Theory
Summary: Scott and Kurt are involved in a serious car accident in which there may be permanent injury. All feedback is appreciated. Finally finished!
1. Chapter 1

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AN: Look everyone - I'm back. Sorry I haven't written anything for so long, but a lot of stuff has been happening and I do mean a lot. I had to move and everything. Anyway, I wrote this because basically I wanted to work on a story with strong emotions. I'm not saying that this story doesn't have a plot - but the focus is more on the feelings surrounding the actions. I hope that everyone enjoys it. Oh, and I don't own X-Men Evolution, but you already knew that.

It was an idyllic, early summer day. The sun was shimmering brilliantly as a few soft, white clouds casually drifted through the blue velvet expanse of the sky. A warm breeze danced quietly yet playfully as birds chirped happily from the trees. It was the kind of day that just made it hard to be in a bad mood or, at least hard to stay in one. 

Scott Summers stepped out of the institute and smiled as the gentle breeze tousled his hair with its warm fingers. In his right hand he was holding two DVDs they had rented the other night. Technically, he didn't have to return the DVDs until tomorrow, but it was much too nice of a day to stay indoors. Besides, he really hated waiting until the last minute to do things. Causally, he made his way towards his car.

Just as he reached the vehicle, he heard a familiar "bamf" as a sulfurous smell reached his nose. Turning, he was not surprised to see Kurt standing there, smiling.

"Hey, Scott," Kurt greeted, "Vhere are you going?"

"I was just going to return these," Scott replied, holding up the DVD's.

Kurt's eyes widened slightly and Scott thought that he was going to start drooling. It was a well-known fact that Kurt was a bit of a movie buff and he loved to go to the rental place and browse through the movies he owned or wanted to own. Barely suppressing a chuckle, Scott asked, "Do you want to come too?"

Before he had even finished the question, Kurt had teleported and was now sitting in the front passenger seat regarding Scott with an expression that seemed to ask, "What are you waiting on?" This time, Scott couldn't help but laugh as he climbed into the car and put the key in the ignition.

"Wait a second!" Kitty yelled, running over to Kurt's side of the car, "Where are you going?"

"We're just going to return some DVD's," Scot replied.

"Do you to come vith us?" Kurt asked.

Kitty shook her head. "No," she began as she held up a book, "but would you return this book to the library for me? It's sorta overdue already."

"And you probably vant us to pay the fine," Kurt prodded. He seemed to be trying to sound serious, but it was obvious from his expression that he wasn't.

"It's only a few days overdue," countered Kitty, "Besides I'll pay you back."

"Come on," Kurt pleaded, gently taking hold of Kitty's arm, "Come vith us."

"No, I have things I need to do right now."

"You can do that stuff later," Kurt insisted, as he pulled Kitty's arm as if trying to force her into the car.

Kitty laughed as she phased her arm through Kurt's hands. "Maybe next time," she offered as she turned and started away.

"I'll remind you!" Kurt called after her.

"I said MAYBE!" was Kitty's response as she disappeared inside the mansion.

"I'll still remind her," Kurt confided to Scott who laughed as they started down the road.

The trip began noneventfully as he began down the road that he had driven so many times before. There wasn't much traffic and Kurt was pleasant company. He was talking about a movie he had recently seen and although their tastes for entertainment was often different, Scott had to admit that it sounded interesting. Briefly, he looked away from the road to glance at Kurt, but instead he saw the brief flash of something metallic shining in the sunlight.

"Wh-" Scott began, but his words were cut off violently by a thunderous crash of metal against metal as the dark blanket of unconsciousness was cast upon him.

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The first thing that Scott became aware of was a strange, hissing noise. He moved slightly, his head exploding in pain and moaned a bit as he reached up, mostly out of habit, to make sure his glasses were still in place. Finding that they were, he cautiously opened his eyes and looked around him, the movement causing more pain throughout his body. Yet, nothing could have prepared him for the grisly sight that lay before him.

The right side of his car had been rammed into the guardrail on the far side of the road, but the damage the car had sustained seemed minimal when compared to the left side. A silver Pontiac had slammed into his car and was now seemingly embedded in the left side which was crumpled like a Pepsi can. A steady steam of smoke rose from the cars like the breath of an angry dragon and it was hissing angrily, but it was not the hissing he had initially heard. The original hiss had been his airbag deflating.

He couldn't see the other driver - their windows were too darkly tinted for that, but in all reality he wasn't very concerned with their safety when he noticed Kurt's condition. For whatever reason (a malfunction perhaps?) Kurt's airbag had NOT deployed and Kurt was slumped over, not moving. The only thing that was keeping him even partially upright was his seatbelt. "Kurt?" Scott began, his voice thick, "Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but it was all that he could think of to say.

There was no response, but now he could hear a gurgling sound like someone trying to breathe though water. Scared, Scott placed his hand on Kurt's chest and pushed back slightly.

For years now, Scott's world had been bathed in red and he had grown accustomed to the monochromatic view. Yet, as he looked at Kurt's face which had lolled back so heavily and at his own hands, now sticky, the bright crimson of the blood shocked him. It was pouring from a deep gash in Kurt's forehead and scalp and was clogging his nose and filling his mouth - choking him as he tried desperately to breathe. The inducer was no longer working, which was no real surprise, and it was plain to see the blood clotting and matting into the fine fur of his face.

Scott's eyes jerked away from Kurt and he saw that the dashboard had been driven nearly into Kurt's lap as he noticed the place smashed into the windshield and dried currents of blood. It was obvious what had happened: when Kurt's airbag hadn't deployed and the dashboard forced forward - Kurt's head had been nearly driven through the glass.

Scott turned back towards Scott, ignoring the pain that shot through his right knee and he tried to figure out what to do. He usually responded well in critical situations, but now if felt as if his mind was filled with a thick haze that made it hard to concentrate. Perhaps it was a result of the accident itself - or maybe it was just seeing one of his friends who appeared to be literally dying beside him.

Perhaps it was both.

He didn't have time to think of that now. Trying unsuccessfully to clear his clouded mind, he grabbed his cel phone and began to dial. However, before he could even finish the call, a van and a car pulled up beside him and he was surprised to see Logan jump out of the van and run over to him.

The next few minutes went by in a sickening blur. A cot appeared and Logan and Hank carefully put Kurt into the cot and carried him to the van that Scott was finally able to recognize. Some police cars and a couple of ambulances appeared, but Professor X spoke to them and seem to resolve the situation quickly as the emergency personnel focused their attention on the driver of the other vehicle. Ororo was talking with Scott and he was trying to answer her questions, but it was still hard to focus. Finally, Kurt had been secured in the van and Logan came back and helped Scott out of the car. It was nearly impossible to walk, but Logan helped him get into the van where Hank was still working with Kurt.

"We'll help you," Scott whispered quietly to Kurt, but he didn't think anyone heard him.

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So there's part 1. I'm not sure where I'm going with this story yet so I don't know how many parts it will have. Like I said, it's mostly about the emotions surrounding the accident so I'm not sure what I'll have actually happen yet. 

I have the next part of the Mystique story almost done. It should be posted either tomorrow or the next day.


	2. Chapter 2

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AN: Thanks for all the nice reviews. I'm sorry I took awhile with this chapter - I hope everyone likes it!

Softly, Jean knocked on Scott's door and waiting for him to tell her to come in, but he did not. Confused, she slowly opened the door a bit and looked inside. Scott was sitting on the bed, his right leg stretched out before him encased tightly in a brace and his head was bowed above his clasped hands. It took Jean a second to realize that Scott was praying. She was surprised because he had never mentioned anything about any particular religious belief to her before - but then again he hadn't said anything to the contrary either. Besides, she reasoned it was a common reaction from people who had just been involved in an accident. "Scott?" Jean asked quietly.

Scott raised his head to turn and look at her. Other than the broken kneecap on his right leg, most of his other injuries consisted of bruising and small scratches and scrapes, which greatly relieved Jean. "Yes," he responded.

"How are you doing?"

He shrugged slightly. "Fine, I guess. How's Kurt?"

Jean hesitated, unsure of how much she should tell Scott right now. "Well," she began cautiously, "he could have been hurt a lot worse considering how hard you guys were hit. I think they said he has a couple of cracked ribs and his right shoulder is dislocated. Oh, and of course he has whiplash." She hoped her answer would satisfy Scott because she had heard more, but she didn't want to tell him all that she had heard .

"What about the gash on his head?" Scott questioned, "It was bleeding so…there was just so much blood." His voice was shaking now.

"They got the bleeding to stop," Jean replied, "but I do think that it required a few stitches." _Please don't ask any more questions about it,_ she silently pleaded.

"You're not telling me everything," Scott said, "What's going on? Tell me."

"Scott…" she hesitated.

"Tell me!"

"We don't know anything for sure yet," she stated, "but, Kurt does have a serious concussion. There's a chance…" her voice trailed off. "There's a chance," she repeated, "there might be permanent damage."

Scott took a deep breath. "Oh, God," he whispered, "No."

"There might not be any problems," Jean reassured, "Kurt hasn't even regained consciousness yet."

"Oh, God," he repeated, as if he hadn't heard her, "And it's my fault. I took my eyes off the road."

"What?"

"When I was driving," he clarified, "I took my eyes off the road - just for a second, I swear! I just glanced over at Kurt and that's when I saw the other car."

"It wasn't your fault," Jean began softly, "if you hadn't glanced off then you wouldn't have seen the car before it hit you. That's all it would change." Scott didn't seem convinced, so she continued. "Look, I heard everyone talking earlier and from what I understand the woman who was driving the other car was intoxicated."

"What? She was drunk?"

"Maybe. That's what I overheard, at least."

Scott swore softly, which surprised Jean because she had never heard him say anything like that before. "And Kurt may be…he's hurt because of her," he growled.

"We don't know anything for sure," Jean countered, but before she could continue a sudden image came to her mind. "You're thinking of Alex?" she asked uncertainly.

Scott nodded slightly, but didn't respond at first. "I've had nightmares for years," he finally said, "the plane crashing, Alex, everything. Yet, when we found him I thought the nightmares would end - and they did for awhile. But today," he shook his head, as if unsure how to finish.

"And it probably didn't help that Kurt looks up to you like a big brother," Jean added.

"He does? I didn't really think of like that, but he does feel like he's family."

"I know this is tough -"

"How do you know?" Scott interrupted, his voice rising, "You may be telepathic, but you don't know how it REALLY feels."

Jean didn't know how to respond. It was true. She could know his feelings, his thoughts - but she had never really experience tragedy like he had. How could she know? "I may not," she began, but before she could finish the door burst open.

Rogue was standing there. It appeared that she had ran there as she was out of breath. "Kurt just woke up," she announced.

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Part 2 is finished and hopefully 3 will soon join it. I don't know why that Jean got such a big part in this section. I mean, I don't even really like her but somehow it seemed to fit. At least I already know that Kitty gets the next part and I find it so much easier to write from her perspective. Thanks to all who have read this so far.


	3. Chapter 3

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AN: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I really appreciate it. As for some of your questions: Amanda will appear in the story, or at least I have a part planned for her later. The truth is that sometimes my ideas change right in the middle of a story, so you never know. About the time frame - I usually make it a bit ambiguous. I'm not sure why exactly, but I usually do. Will this story be Kurrty? Strangely enough, the answer is somewhat complicated so you'll just have to wait and see. Okay, with all that said on to the third part:

It was quiet chaos outside of the infirmary. They were all gathered there; whispering, talking and hoping as they tried to look inside through the large window. However, a white curtain had been drawn inside and all that could be seen was indistinct shadows.

Kitty stood there waiting, her eyes filled with tears that she couldn't seem to cry. It was as if things were happening so fast, her emotions just couldn't seem to keep up. It had been only about two hours ago that she had been talking and laughing with Kurt, but now…

She shook her head. None of this felt real. Yet she had talked to Kurt about 2 hours earlier. She knew that. It was strange: things seemed to happened so quickly, yet the events of this morning felt as if they occurred a lifetime ago. And all of this waiting wasn't helping.

_Please Kurt,_ she silently pleaded _you have to be okay. You just have to._

A soft noise interrupted Kitty's thoughts and she looked up to see Rogue rejoining the group with Jean and Scott following behind her. Scott was using crutches, but seemed determined to reach the infirmary despite the obvious discomfort. "How is he?" he immediately asked when he was close enough.

Kitty opened her mouth, but couldn't seem to speak. It was Bobby who answered. "I don't know," he said, "Storm came out a few minutes ago and said that Kurt was awake, but we haven't heard anything else yet."

As if on cue, the curtain slid back slightly and Hank stepped out. He pushed the curtain back into place and then stepped into the hallway shutting the door behind him. Immediately, everyone began asking about Kurt's condition. Hank tried to put on a brave smile, but it was obvious that it was fake. Somehow, that scared Kitty more. He raised his hands as if trying to settle them down a bit.

"As you already know," he began, "Kurt regained consciousness a few minutes ago. His injuries have been taken care of and it appears like he's going to be fine."

A general sigh of relief rippled through the group. For some reason, Scott and Jean risked a quick glance at one another, but Kitty wasn't sure what they did that. "When can we see him?" Scott asked.

"Well," Hank started hesitantly, "Kurt just woke up and he is still very tired from the whole ordeal. I think it would be best for him to only have a couple of visitors for now. Then, we'll see how he feels in a few hours."

"I want to see him," Scott insisted.

"You need some rest yourself," Hank countered, "Don't worry. You can see him, just not right now. For now, we just want a couple of people to sit with him."

"I'll do it," Rogue offered.

"Me too," Kitty spoke up, surprised at how hoarse she sounded.

"Okay," he said to them, before turning his attention to the others. "The rest of you relax and go back to what you were doing before. Kurt will be ready for more visitors later."

There was some protest - especially from Scott who said that he really wanted to see Kurt now. However, Hank again reassured them that they would all be able to see Kurt later. Finally, everyone except Kitty, Rogue, and Hank had left the hallway. Now alone, Hank opened the door to the infirmary to let them inside, but stopped them before they reached the curtain.

"I need to tell you," he said in a soft voice, "that although Kurt is awake he is very confused and disoriented, but don't be afraid. That's perfectly normal after a serious accident, but that's why I didn't want everyone to see him right now."

Rogue looked concerned. "Is he really going to be okay?" she asked.

Again, Hank flashed his imitation smile. "I'm sure he'll be fine," he answered, a bit too quickly, "Like I said, this is perfectly normal. However, there are certain precautions that we'll need to take. We can't really let him sleep for the next 24 hours. He can nap for a half hour - an hour at the most but then you need to wake him. Talk to him - make sure he recognizes you."

Kitty was becoming more scared by the moment. "Are you afraid that Kurt has amnesia or something?"

"It's just normal procedure when somehow has…" He stopped suddenly, as if afraid to continue.

"Has what?" Rogue insisted.

He sighed. "Kurt does have a concussion, " he reluctantly admitted.

"But there's not going to be anything permanent is there?" Kitty ventured.

There was a long pause. "I'm not sure," he finally answered.

It felt as if the floor, the very foundation was shaking and crumbing beneath Kitty's feat. He wasn't sure? "What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's hard to tell," he said, "especially this early and I'm not really much of a doctor. But, of course we couldn't take him to a hospital." He shook his head, and for the first time Kitty could see just how scared he was. "Please," he said, "Don't let everyone know just how serious this situation is. I'm not asking you to lie, but there's a chance that Kurt will recover completely fine. There's no use ins scaring anyone needlessly." He didn't try to smile this time.

Stepping forward, he pulled back the curtain just enough for him to walk through and Kitty and Rogue followed. "Kurt," Hank said, "You have company."

Kurt was sitting in the bed, propped up by several pillows. He had been turned towards the far wall, but at the sound of Hanks voice, he rolled his head upon the pillows so that he would be looking at them.

There was large pieced of gauze taped to his left temple as well as bandages that was wrapped about his forehead. Even through the fur, his face appeared swollen and distorted, but that wasn't what upset Kitty the most. It was his eyes. Kurt's eyes had always appeared so bright and full of life. They could sparkle mischievously or glow with his smile. Yet now, his eyes were dull and flat. There seemed to be no life in them.

Rogue stepped forward. "Kurt?" she said softly.

"Rogue," Kurt responded. His voice was thick and slurred, but at least he had recognized her.

"I need to leave for a few minutes," Hank said, "but I'll be back. If you need anything, just hit the call button by the bed there."

"Okay," Rogue replied softly. With one last look around, Hank left the room.

Cautiously, Kitty approached the bed. "Hey Kurt," she greeted, "How are you doing?"

"My…head…hurts," Kurt replied, "I don't…know vhy."

Rogue glanced at Kitty before answering. "Well, there was an accident," she said.

"Acc…i…dent?" he repeated slowly.

"Yeah," Rogue continued, "some woman rammed into the side of Scott's car."

He blinked a few times. "Is Scott okay?" he asked.

Kitty almost laughed. It was just like Kurt to be asking about someone else when he was the one who was seriously hurt. "He hurt his leg," Kitty answered, "but he's okay."

"That's good," Kurt stated slowly.

"I'm just glad Jean realized that you guys had been in accident almost as soon as it had happened," Kitty added.

"Jean?" Kurt began, "Vas she…in the accident…too?"

"No," Rogue answered, "It was just you and Scott."

He seemed to consider that for a moment. "Is Scott okay?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Kitty replied, a little confused. Hadn't just asked that question?

"Good," he said, leaning back against the pillows. He didn't say anything for a few moments as he turned his attention back to the far wall.

"Kurt," Kitty said.

"My head hurts," he said, "Vhy…is it hurting so bad?"

"You were in an accident," Rogue reiterated. 

"Accident? There vas an accident?"

"You don't remember?" Kitty asked.

"No," he replied, "but my head really hurts…I'm not sure vhy."

The tears that had filled Kitty's eyes for so long finally began to trace down her face. Kurt couldn't follow their conversation for more than a few minutes - and this could permanent. Trying to hold back the entire flood of tears, she ran from the room. 

There was no one in the hallway, and thankfully she didn't run into anyone as she ran upstairs. Finally she reached her room and shut the door behind her before collapsing on the bed and letting all the tears that had collected inside her burst forth. 

That was more than just a little confused and all she could of was what if Kurt was like that for the rest of his life. She thought back to this morning when they were laughing and she had been playfully pushing his hands away.

_You were always pushing him away_ a cynical voice in her head announced, but she pushed aside.

What if that was the last real conversation she will ever have with Kurt? She shoved her face deep within her pillow as she cried. She just wanted _her_ Kurt back. She had to think positive. After all, Kurt might be fine. He might be fine.

But she couldn't stop thinking about all the what ifs.

This section ended up being a little longer then the other and honestly I had trouble ending it. I hope everyone likes it. The next part should be up soon. Also, I'm planning on adding some info about me on the whatever you call it page where the stories are displayed.


	4. Chapter 4

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AN: I have to admit that when I started this story, I never realized where it was going to go. Strangely, this was one of my original story ideas - long before I wrote "Remembering What Never Happened," yet for some reason I kept pushing it aside. have to admit, I'm glad I starting writing it. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it.

Rogue quietly watched Kitty run from the room, making no move to stop her because she understand exactly what she had run. Kurt, however still appeared to be confused. "Vhat's vrong vith Keetty?" he asked.

"Nothin'," she replied, "I think she's just tired or somethin'."

Kurt's brow tightened as it seemed he was trying to understand what she had said. However, he didn't comment but instead merely settled back on the pillows. Rogue couldn't help but notice that his eyes were more closed than before and less focused. "Are ya tired?" she questioned.

"Yes," he answered softly, "but…but it's hard to breathe…and my head…hurts."

Rogue glanced over at the clock and noted the time. After all, it was okay for Kurt to nap. "Why don't you try and get some rest," she offered.

"Okay," Kurt responded, painfully childlike.

His eyes closed and quietly he drifted into a light sleep while Rogue stood over him, watching. She briefly considered using the call button to see if they could Kurt some pain medication but quickly decided against it. Rest was probably the best thing for him now so she didn't want to anything to wake him. Instead, she sat down in a nearby chair and watched him while he slept.

It was hard to see Kurt like this - a shell of who he was. She was closer to Kurt than probably she was to anyone else and he had told her things that she doubted the others knew. However, it was doubtful if he even remembered that now or if they would ever have that opportunity again.

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That's what you get an acidic voice within her whispered _for letting yourself get close to someone. That's what happens every time you let down your guard: you just get hurt._

As much as it hurt, she had to admit there was some truth to that bitter voice. She couldn't let anyone get close to her physically, but she had also learned to keep people at a distance emotionally. It was just safer that way. Yet, somehow Kurt had made it past all her defenses and walls an no matter how many times she tried to push him away, he was still there with a smile and a kind word. When they had found out about how their pasts had crossed - namely with Mystique, Kurt had been seemingly been thrilled and ready to claim her as his sister. Rogue had not been so happy, but not because of Kurt but rather it was Mystique that upset her. However, she just wasn't ready for any close connections with anyone yet.

But Kurt was not so easy to say no to. He was there, ready to be a friend and a brother, as if he knew that despite her protests to the contrary that's what she need.

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Yet look where it got you. You're just letting yourself be hurt - AGAIN!

"Shut up," she mumbled, trying to silence the voice. Kurt stirred slightly in his sleep and Rogue checked the clock as she vowed to be quieter. He had only been asleep for 12 minutes.

It was stupid to blame Kurt. It wasn't his fault that he got hurt and it wasn't his fault that it was upsetting her so badly. Maybe it was true that if she hadn't allowed herself to be so close to Kurt, she wouldn't be hurting the way she was. But that seemed like a poor payoff for her. He had been there when she needed him. Sometimes, she would stand with him on his balcony and they would talk. He confessed things to her that she doubted he had told anyone - about his past and things that had happened while he was growing up.

That was the thing that always perplexed and amazed Rogue. When he talked to people, he was always ready with a smile and a joke. Yet, deep down he was far more complex than that. He had gone through a lot and with his introspective and sensitive personality, he still thought about his past quite often. He could be depressed from time to time and he struggled with issues of self-worth and confidence.

Yet, he wasn't bitter.

She always bitter and angry it seemed like. She wanted scream at the world until it could all those terrible things that she had felt, but Kurt wasn't like that. He wanted everyone around him to feel comfortable and at ease - he didn't want them to feel like him. His anger, when he felt it, was brief and shallow.

And he never seemed to be bitter.

"How do you do that?" she whispered, barely audible.

Just then the door opened and the curtain was pulled back slightly allowing Hank to reenter the room. "Where's Kitty?" he asked.

"She left," Rogue replied, unsure if she should elaborate.

"Oh," he responded with a slight nod of his head. He looked over at Kurt. "How long has be been asleep?"

"Twenty-one minutes," she answered.

"Well wake him up in a minute," he said, "Why don't you go on up to room? I'm going to stay with him for awhile and I'll probably need you to sit with him some more later."

Rogue thought about arguing, but knew what he was saying. She wanted to be there for Kurt when he needed - like he had been for her so she would go for now but would be back later. Quietly, she left the infirmary but instead of returning to her room she walked outside. She expected it to be dark and overcast, but it was still as bright and sunny as this morning when Scott and Kurt had unassumingly drove away.

She wanted to yell - to rage at the world. How dare it look so beautiful when something so ugly had happened. How dare it! The bitterness rose with her, thick in her throat.

How unlike Kurt, she couldn't help but think.

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Well, there's part 4. I really am not sure yet what part 5 will be like. I do have another part planned for Kitty and Amanda is scheduled to make an appearance, but I don't thing that will happen until at least part 6. Still, I'm not sure yet. I hope everyone liked this part!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to continue with this story but a lot has been going on. However, I'm going to do my best to finish my incomplete stories and maybe start a few new ones. Thanks to everyone who has read my stories and written such wonderful reviews.

Kitty stood outside the infirmary door, gazing at her pale reflection in the glass door. She felt horrible. She had ran out on Kurt yesterday when he had needed her the most. It was hard to see him like that, but she knew that was little more than an excuse. He had needed her and she hadn't been there. Others had gone in and sat with Kurt. Yet, she hadn't gone into the infirmary since she had ran out the day before. She wanted to, but she just kept remembering how Kurt had been.

"That's no excuse," she whispered to herself.

"Kitty," a gentle voice said from behind her.

She turned and saw Hank standing there. "Mr. McCoy," she said, quickly wiping away a tear, "How long…" Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure what to say.

He smiled slightly and placed a large, comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know this is tough," he stated quietly, "I want you to know that I'm not upset with you for leaving yesterday."

"I should have stayed," she replied.

"No," he countered, "If you didn't feel like you could, then you did the right thing. Rogue stayed."

"Who's in there now?" she asked.

"Scott and Jean," he answered, "So, you see there is nothing-"

"I want to sit with him again," she interrupted.

"There is no-" he began.

"Please," she interjected, "I need to. I won't run off again. I promise! But I need to do this."

Hank regarded her for a moment with sympathetic eyes. "Kitty," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "If you want to, I understand and I won't tell you that you shouldn't. However, if it gets to be too much, then just use the call button. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, "Thank you."

The door opened and Jean helped Scott, who was still struggling with his crutches, out into the hallway. He looked tired and drained, but Kitty didn't think it was from his injuries. She had heard that he blamed himself for the accident since he had been driving at the time, but she knew that it wasn't his fault. "Hi," she said softly.

Scott nodded, but Jean looked a little surprised to see her there. "Are you going to sit with him next?" she asked.

"Yeah," Kitty replied, momentarily angered by the surprise and doubt she saw in Jean's green eyes.

"That's good," Jean said, but she didn't sound very convinced.

For a moment there was an awkward silence before Jean and Scott started down the hall and Kitty reached for the door. Before she could open it, Hank put his hand upon her arm. "If you need anything," he stated, reassuringly, "just call."

"Thanks," she said, "I will." She opened the door and stepped into the room, leaving the calming presence of Hank alone in the hallway.

Not much had changed from before. Kurt was still sitting propped up in bed. In fact, it didn't look as if he had even changed his position since she last saw him. The only difference is that someone had turned on the small television that hung in the corner of the room. "Spongebob Squarepants" was on and Kitty could almost feel herself wince ever time she heard the title character's high pitched voice. For some reason, Kurt liked the cartoon and even had a shirt with Patrick on it. (The starfish had a board nailed to his head with the words, "I'm bored," written underneath.) However, Kitty found the show very annoying and was tempted to turn off the television but decided against it.

She knew she was focusing on the Nickelodeon program because a part of her still didn't want to focus on Kurt. He was sitting there, not really even looking at the television but rather staring blankly at the opposite wall. "Kurt," she said softly, "I'm here."

He turned to look at her, but his eyes were as flat and lifeless as before and she could feel her heart sink slightly. She hadn't really expected a miracle, but she had hoped for some improvement.

"Hi Keety," he greeted slowly. His voice still sounded thick and slurred, but was just wishful thinking or did he sound somewhat clearer than before.

She smiled, but didn't know what else to say. Any questions she asked might lead back to the accident that Kurt didn't remember and couldn't seem to remember for more than a few minutes. "Watching TV?" she finally asked, mentally kicking herself for such a stupid question.

He looked up at the television and seemed to try and focus on what was happening, but it appeared that the antics of Spongebob was now beyond his grasp. Kitty struggled not to cry. She had to be strong for him. This time, she wasn't going to run out on him. For some neither of them spoke. Kurt had turned his attention back to the far wall and it seemed that he had forgotten that she was in the room. Kitty was wondering if she should regain his attention when there was a soft knock at the infirmary door.

Even Kurt turned to look at the noise as Kitty crossed the room and opened the door. To her surprise, it was Amanda who was standing there.

She looked scared and upset, standing there trembling slightly. "Hi," she managed, "I've come to see Kurt. How is he?"

Kitty could see that she was on the verge of tears herself. "He's here," she replied, but didn't know what to say about Kurt's condition as she stepped aside to let Amanda into the room.

Amanda immediately rushed to the bed and Kurt, where he had turned towards the noise of her knocking, was already looking at her. "Kurt," she said, "How are you?"

He blinked slowly a few times. "I…have a…headache," he stated slowly.

Again, Kitty felt a faint surge of hope. Before Kurt would only say that his head was hurting. This time he had used the term headache. Was this an improvement? She hoped she wasn't just grasping at straws.

Amanda spoke to him for a few minutes but her conversation was much like the one Kitty and Rogue's before her. He couldn't comprehend an accident and when you did remind him of it, he would ask if other people had been there as well and if they were okay. Amanda's attempts not to cry had failed as she held tightly to Kurt's hand and looked into his lifeless, golden eyes.

"How did you find out?" Kitty asked her, when Kurt's attention had drifted back to the far wall.

"Jean called me," Amanda answered, still holding Kurt's hand, "yesterday, but I couldn't get here until today. I couldn't tell my dad why I had to leave so he insisted I stay for a family dinner."

Kitty could hear the anger in Amanda's voice, and she too became angry. However, her anger wasn't directed at Amanda's father, but rather Amanda herself. Kitty could help but think that if she was dating Kurt, she would have been at her side the moment she had heard. And if this was permanent, would Amanda still stay by his side? Yet, these thoughts surprised her. There had been that cynical voice before, chastising her for always pushing Kurt away and now this anger towards Amanda. Why?

She knew that she was envious. Kurt and Amanda seemed to have a good relationship. There were conflicts, namely Amanda's parents, but still Amanda came by the mansion as often as she could. Kitty would see walking hand in hand and smiling. That was nothing like her relationships. A friend had once told her she suffered from the "Bad Boy Syndrome," meaning that she always fell for the wrong guys - the dangerous ones and it did seem to be the truth. The more dangerous the guy, the better and her heart paid the price. Either the guy would be too dangerous and she would have to break it off before her parents knew or she truly got hurt, or she would find that the guy wasn't as dangerous as she assumed and she would lose interest. She hated being like that and sought to change it, but so far she hadn't been very successful.

So, it was no real surprise that had never really thought that seriously about Kurt. He was sweet and kind - the nicest of the nice boys. Of course, she been a little taken aback by his appearance at first, but once she had gotten past that she found out just how kind and considerate he was and that he could never be a so-called 'bad boy.' Yet, Amanda seemed to have a clearer perception. She had immediately recognized Kurt for the wonderful guy he was and now they were together. Yeah, she envied Amanda a little for that.

However, while she was being honest with herself, she had to wonder if there could have been anything between Kurt and her. She did love him - but as a best friend who felt almost like family. Kurt was there to tease her - and to occasionally flirt. That was just Kurt. While it was true that sometimes love grows from a friendship, it could also end a friendship and she didn't want to risk that. Besides, she honestly didn't think it would work. Kurt was her friend, one her closest friends, and that's the way she liked things. And if there could have been anything else, she was content with just wondering. Besides, Kurt and Amanda did have a good relationship and she didn't want to interfere.

Amanda talked to Kurt for a few more minutes before she had to leave. Kitty walked behind her to the door and, before she left, hugged her. "I promise to call if there are any changes," she said.

"Thank you," Amanda whispered back and left the room.

Kitty, now alone, looked at Kurt who was once again staring at the wall. _You have to get better _she thought _You just have to. Can't you see how much this is affecting everyone? We love you and we want you back. But, even if you never get any better, we'll all still love you._

Wiping away a new tear, she couldn't help but wonder if that was true about Amanda. If Kurt never got any better, would she still be there?

For some reason, she thought that Amanda would. However, if Amanda chose not too, then she would still be here.

And so ends Part 5. I should have Part 6 up next week. Again I'm sorry for the delay. I hope everyone liked this part. I think I've said before, I'm not a big fan of Kurtty so my stories are almost or somewhat Kurtty.


	6. Chapter 6

_Finally, here is the final chapter. I'm sorry I let this story remain unfinished for so long, but now it's finished. Next, I'm going to try and finish my Mystique story as well as maybe write a new one. Thanks for all the reviews and I hope you enjoy this last chapter_.  
  
It was a quiet night. The moon was full and seemed to be gazing melancholically at the Earth as it bathed the world in its pale, cold light. It seemed as if the world itself had fallen asleep, as were most of the inhabitants of the institute, yet their sleep was anything but restful. They were restless, wondering the horrible 'what ifs' of Kurt's condition. Scott kept reliving the accident as well. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard the horrible sound of screeching tires, metal crunching against metal. He could even smell the smoke and oil. Then, he would see Kurt again: slumped unconscious against the restraint of the seatbelt and his face bathed in his own blood. The only difference was that, in his dreams, Kurt was dead.  
  
Rogue was one of the few that were not asleep. Hank said it was relatively safe now and would probably be beneficial if Kurt was allowed a full night's rest. He was originally going to sit with him, but Rogue had spoken up and said that she wanted to. He had been reluctant, but it seemed he had realized that she wouldn't have taken "no" easily, so he had consented. He had told that it would be okay if she slept some as well because Kurt was no longer in any immediate danger. The truth was, it was probably okay to leave Kurt alone for brief periods of time now, but everyone was reluctant to do so.  
  
So, Rogue was sitting there watching Kurt as he slept, but it did not appear his sleep was very restful. He was cry out softly from time to time and would occasionally moan. He had been given some pain medication just before going to sleep, so she could not give him any more, but it hurt to listen to his cries. Quietly, Rogue stood up from the chair and walked over to Kurt's bedside. She wanted to comfort him - to hug him and hold him as a good sister should, but she knew that she could not. Even if she was careful, there was also a chance that her skin would actually come in contact with him and the results could be devastating. If she ever did anything to Kurt, she just didn't know if she would be able to forgive herself.  
  
Kurt moaned softly again, and this time Rogue reached out and, very carefully took his hand. It wasn't the same as a hug, but it was better than nothing. "I'm here, Kurt," she whispered.  
  
In a few minutes, he seemed to calm down and drift slightly deeper into sleep. Rogue was glad and, cautiously so not to wake Kurt, used her left hand to reach behind her to pull the chair closer to her while her right held onto his hand. He didn't stir while she did this and once again sat down. Sitting, she studied Kurt's face as he slept. If you didn't notice the bandages or the slight swelling (it had gone down somewhat), it looked as if Kurt was merely asleep and nothing had happened. Yet, while she tried to focus on his face, his gentle features, her eyes kept drifting back to the bandages. She finally turned her head away and looked about the room as she tried to focus on something else.  
  
Her gaze fell upon the table by the bed and she noticed a small crucifix lying there. She wasn't sure who had put it there, but she had to admit that it was fitting. Kurt believed and he had faith. They had talked about it frequently. Although he wasn't condescending, he did seem upset when she had admitted that she wasn't sure if she believed in God. She couldn't help it. She had also added that if God did exist, then she had some serious questions as to her life. Was she being punished? What could she had done that could warrant such punishment? Yeah, she had some fairly serious questions to ask, or maybe not. After all, if God had been there through all the things that she had gone through, she was ticked off at Him. If He was there, why did she have feel so alone?  
  
Kurt had looked so sad when she had told him. He didn't have any answers for his questions and didn't rely on the "...God works in mysterious ways," response either. He just simply restated that he believed. In that moment, Rogue had actually envied Kurt. It wasn't because he believed, but the faith and peace he had because he believed. Deep down, she still thought that Kurt might be fooling himself, but still she envied him.  
  
Looking up, she whispered, "I don't know if you're there. If you are though, please help Kurt. He believes in You. I'm not sure, but don't do it for me. Do it for Kurt. Please." She felt a little silly afterwards. It was a foolish prayer. Who started with, "I don't know if you there?" If He's not there, then no one is listening. Besides, weren't you supposed to end prayers with Amen? Still, she knew that Kurt would appreciate the gesture and she couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Maybe it was just because she had spoken her thoughts aloud or maybe there was something else. She didn't know.  
  
Looking back towards Kurt, she was happy to see that he still seemed to be resting peacefully. Maybe he had heard her little 'prayer.' If so, perhaps they would laugh about it together someday. She leaned forward and rested her head on the edge of the bed. Perhaps things would look brighter in the morning.

* * *

She hadn't intended on falling asleep and wasn't aware she had done so until Kurt's voice woke her. "Rogue?" he had stated, his voice turning her name into a questions.  
  
She raised her head to look at him. "Good morning," she said, smiling slightly. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but Kurt looked more alert this morning. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Okay, I guess," he responded and she realized it wasn't just wishful thinking, "My head is killing me though. Vhat's going on?"  
  
Rogue didn't answer him at first. Jumping up, she ran across the room and hit the call button. Within minutes Hank's worried voice filtered into the room, but Rogue ignored it. "Kurt's okay!" she cried, "He's actually okay!" Tears were streaming down her face, she didn't care as she looked into Kurt's alert, if somewhat bewildered expression.

* * *

Kurt didn't recover all at once. Even after his physical injuries had healed, he still had lapses in his short-term memory from time to time. He find himself teleporting to a room and totally forgetting what he had came to do or losing track of a conversation in the middle of a sentence. He tried to hide this problem or make light of it when it was impossible to hide, but Rogue knew how much it bothered him even before he admitted it to her. He confided that he had been having problems in school. He said that math was an absolute nightmare in that he would find himself looking at a problem that he knew he already knew how to solve but just couldn't remember how to start. Math wasn't his only problem. He admitted that once he had been trying to write a paper and for the life of him he couldn't remember the word femininity. He could remember feminine but for some reason his mind couldn't make the jump from feminine to femininity. When he finally did remember (after several agonizing minutes), he had no idea how to spell it or even get close enough that a spell-check could help him. He said that he knew that he wasn't a genius before (although Rogue thought he was fairly intelligent) but now he felt like a complete idiot at times.  
  
Rogue had told him not to worry, but they did eventually go to Professor Xavier with the problem who also said there was no need for concern. It was a common side effect of someone who had just recovered from head trauma, but still the Professor said he would try and help Kurt with his memory problems.  
  
As time went on, Kurt finally did regain his short-term memory, but he said that he still, very rarely, had lapses. He never could recall the accident however. It was assumed that it had happened so very quickly - Kurt was unconscious before he had any time to realize what was happening. He had seen the pictures of Scott's totaled car, however and was shocked that he had been such a horrible accident.  
  
Remembering was also a problem for Scott, but in the opposite fashion. He had gotten a new car, but even after his leg healed, he had been reluctant to drive. His nightmares continued, but sometimes he would see Alex or his parents in the passenger seat instead of Kurt. Finally, with Jean's and the Professor's help, he started working with those issues but he still couldn't bring himself to look at the pictures.  
  
They all moved on. They remembered what they needed to and tried to forget the rest. Scott was able to drive again and became closer to Kurt. After Jean had told him that Kurt sort of looked up to him like a big brother, he decided to make the most of the that relationship especially when he hadn't been able to speak to Alex for awhile. Kitty also seem to be growing closer to Kurt and they could often be seen laughing and talking together - except for times when Kurt wanted to be alone with Amanda. Kitty seemed to be sad to share Kurt, but at the same time didn't seem to harbor any ill will towards Amanda. Hank was relieved that Kurt's recovery had been so complete, he appeared to almost proud of what he had been able to do although he still stated they needed to find an actual doctor to help in situations like that. And Rogue...  
  
Rogue did feel different, but there were no words to describe exactly how she felt. She had been forced to recognize just how much Kurt meant to her, but that wasn't it exactly. She didn't tell anyone about her small prayer at first. Everyone was just so relieved that Kurt had recovered and besides Mr. McCoy was quick to say that he just needed a chance to rest. She would openly agree with that idea and tried to convince herself that was all it was. That was all it was.  
  
Wasn't it?  
  
However, she knew that she should tell Kurt the truth. After all, both of them had a shortage in their lives of people being honest. So, one evening, she met Kurt out on his balcony and told him about that night and about her prayer. She was unsure of how he would respond. She knew that he wouldn't laugh, but still she was hesitant.  
  
Kurt listened quietly and, in the end, he didn't say anything. He simply smiled a beautiful and brilliant smile that said loudly, "Thank you." Rogue returned the smile and hope that Kurt could read, "You're welcome," on her face. It was all that they needed to say -without saying anything.  
  
_And so ends the story. I hoped that everyone liked it. This story idea came from a real accident involving some friends of mine. In fact, many of the details are accurate. It was a mother and daughter in the accident, with the mother being the passenger and sustaining injuries similar to Kurt's. The first night, she was not allowed to sleep and the family was scared, but none of the relatives were willing to spend the night with them, so they called my mother and me. It was hard to see our friend like she was that night. She knew who we were, but couldn't seem to comprehend anything else. She just kept asking why her head was hurting and when someone mentioned the accident she would always ask about all her other friends and family to see if they had been involved. When I went home, this story just kept coming back to me. I didn't write it at first, even though my friend did awake after she had been allowed to sleep and was far more focused, but still I hesitated. Finally, I wrote the first part and liked it so much I knew I had to go on. Wow, that was a long explanation wasn't it?_


End file.
